NAME REVEALED: ‘Hush Money’ Investigation’s Top Target

NAME REVEALED: ‘Hush Money’ Investigation’s Top Target

There’s one man in particular Iowa State Senator Janet Petersen, a Des Moines Democrat and the chair of the oversight committee, wants to see sitting before lawmakers. “Ryan Lamb”, Petersen responded when asked to name her top target.

Lamb served as legal counsel for the Department of Administrative Services. Friday Senate Democrats, who hold the majority in the chamber, voted themselves subpoena power. That resolution gives them the authority to call people in to testify before the oversight committee.

Petersen hopes forcing Lamb to testify will get lawmakers answers on which state government employee came up with the idea to give confidential agreements to dismissed workers and to offer some of them additional “hush money”.

Lamb’s former boss, D.A.S. Director Mike Carroll, previously told lawmakers no workers had been offered the hush money. Lawmakers later found out that wasn’t true. And Governor Terry Branstad then fired Carroll.

Petersen said she wants to resume oversight hearings by the end of the month, providing the attorney general’s office can provide the necessary documents she wants the committee to have.